Love Prevails
by writergirl26
Summary: Kate and Emily grew up as best friends but as Kate's life seems to move on to the next chapter of her life, they soon realize something they never knew.
1. Chapter 1

**An NCIS, Criminal Minds crossover that I did because of an RP storyline I'm doing with a friend. Most of it is fiction, created by me and her of course. Neither character is mine they are property of CBS. So this one is for you Talyn64**

Caitlin Todd had kept her life pretty much a secret to her fellow NCIS agents. Not a one of them knew her past, where she came from or what she gave up in order to move to DC and join the Secret Service and then later join NCIS but it was a choice she had made long ago to keep her life to herself.

Her family wasn't something she talked about much, her older sister Rachel being the only one in her immediate family that she still talked to. She didn't see much of her parents. As a child she had spent most of her life with her best friend in the world, Emily Prentiss. Emily was the one person that had never turned her back on Kate and it was something that Kate had always kept close to her heart. She missed Emily, they lived together most of their lives and it wasn't until after college when she got the offer for the secret service that she and Emily had no choice but to go their separate ways.

Right now, she wanted to talk to Emily desperately. Her boss, Jethro had just proposed to her. She and he had been fooling around but Kate had never seen this coming. Part of her wanted to say yes but she just wasn't sure what this would mean for her career. They had kept their relationship a secret but now if they were going to get married it would obviously become known to the rest of the team.

They weren't busy at work today, no cases so she got permission from the Director and she drove down to Quantico. When she walked into the BAU she looked around for Emily, she just wanted her best friend. "Kate? Is that you?" she heard a familiar voice and spun around to see Special Agent Derek Morgan.

"It's me Morgan! It's been a long time."

"Yes, it has been a very long time. How are you?" he asked as he took her in his strong arms.

"I'm doing very well but it's one of those moments where I need my best friend. Any idea where I could find Prentiss?"

"Hmm… try turning around Agent Todd," hearing that voice brought a huge smile to her face as she spun around and saw Emily. "It's been forever girl how have you been?"

"I'm not bad. Can we talk babe?" Kate asked, trying to hide the confusion in her voice.

Emily was smarter than that, she was an FBI profiler and she could tell when her best friend was upset. "Yeah sure, come on kiddo let's go in the team room." Emily knew something was wrong but she couldn't hide her excitement that her best friend was once again there with her. "What's going on Kate?" she asked as she shut the door, giving them privacy.

"Well…" Kate sighed deeply. "We haven't talked in a few weeks because of work schedules so let me catch you up. I've been sleeping with my boss."

Emily's mouth dropped at this revelation. "You've been what?"

"Sleeping with Gibbs… it just sort of happened but that's not really the problem at hand."

Nodding, she sighed. "Okay… then what is the problem Kate? You're not pregnant are you?"

"God No! At least I don't think I am. But Jethro proposed. He wants to get married and I am just not sure what to do. We've kept everything a secret up until now and I don't know what to do because I don't think the director will be happy to find out about this."

Emily tried to hide the sudden twinge of sadness she felt in her stomach to hear that Kate was possibly getting married. She couldn't tell her, not like this, not here. All she ever wanted was her best friend to be okay and to be happy. "Kate, you have to follow your heart sweetie. If you love Agent Gibbs and you can see yourself spending your life with him than you should go for it. That's something that only you can decide honey."

Kate took a deep breath, she knew Emily was right. She was the only one that could decide whether or not marrying Gibbs was worth the risk of everything. "Thanks Em… you always help me figure things out."

"That's what best friends are for Kate. You know I will always be here," Emily replied. Kate nodded, looking across the table at her best friend. She wasn't sure why she felt a sudden sense of guilt when she looked at Emily. She felt like she was hurting Emily, she saw pain in her eyes and she didn't understand why.

"I know Emily and I will always be here for you too. Just like it's always been. We just have to work on seeing each other more. I miss you Em."

Emily nodded, unable to look Kate in the eye in that moment because she missed her too, more than she could even express to Kate. " I miss you too sweetie, I miss you too!"


	2. Emily's feelings

**This chapter is from Emily's point of view as she struggles to figure out her feelings.**

When Kate went back to DC, Emily was left unsettled and wondering why she suddenly felt so sad that Kate was possibly getting married. She went home that night, unable to sleep, unable to focus on anything other than Kate.

Ever since Kate moved to DC, she and Emily had resigned to talking on the phone at least twice a week, most of the time and they had accepted that getting to see each other was going to be rare considering the busy lives and caseloads they were both faced with on a daily basis. Their jobs usually took them in different directions so they had only had time to see each other about once a year when one of them would take vacation and come to visit the other.

They had lived together for so much of their lives that Emily still wasn't used to Kate not being there, even after five years of her living in DC.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm losing her just because she may be getting married?" Emily spoke out loud as if she were going to get an answer from someone. She sighed as she sat on her couch with her old scrapbook of photos from when she and Kate were kids. "Why do I miss you so much already? It's not like we're in love. You're like my family."

As she looked over old prom photos, vacation photos and photos of all their graduations, Emily realized that every time something bad ever happened in her life it was always Kate, not her mother or another family member but Kate that was there for her, holding her, telling her it would be okay, that they would get through it together. Kate was always the gravity that kept her world together.

She thought about Kate being in DC, being in bed with him and it made her nauseous. She sighed as her eyes were stung with the threat of tears. "I love you Kate…" she whispered as if Kate could actually hear her. She knew that Kate would end up marrying Gibbs and she'd probably never be able to tell her what she now knew was more true than ever.

She was hopelessly, madly in love with her best friend. It was her secret now and it was a secret that would never be told; Kate would marry Jethro and Emily knew she'd have to stand there and watch it happen unable to speak, unable to stop it from happening. She was helpless in this situation because if she did speak up and Kate didn't return those feelings she ran the risk of losing Kate forever, a chance she wasn't willing to take.

"Looks as though I will just have to keep my mouth shut and watch as someone else makes you happy Kate…" Emily wiped the tears from her eyes, shut the book and then climbed the stairs to her bedroom unable to shake the deep feelings of sadness and loss.

In the back of her mind, she knew she would never lose Kate completely. They had been through too much together and had way to many years of friendship but the idea of her marrying another human being, of someone else other than Emily claiming her attention 24-7, it was tearing Emily apart.


	3. Kate realizes why

**This chapter is from Kate's point of view as she realizes that she loves Emily too! Please read and review guys! **

Something was bothering Kate after her visit with Emily, she sensed something about Emily's reaction to her and Jethro getting married, something about that didn't make sense to Kate.

Even as she drove back to DC all she could think about was how she had expected Emily to be more excited for her, Emily had been like her family since they were kids. Having been best friends since the age of three, she expected that of all people, Emily would support her.

"Hey babe, glad you're home!" Jethro kissed her cheek and then headed for his basement like always. Kate sighed and went to bed, knowing there was no getting him out of that god awful basement. She text messaged Emily as she did:

_Are you sure things are okay? You didn't seem like a happy best friend that I am getting married. Talk to me babe…_

When Emily got the text message she was in bed as well. She sighed as she thought to herself, "do I tell you the truth? Do I say that I think I'm in love with you?"

_I'm okay Kate and I am happy for you babe! I'm sorry I seemed to have an adverse reaction because I am truly happy for you!_

Kate didn't respond after that because she knew Emily wasn't telling her something. They had been best friends for over thirty years so why now of all times did she not understand why Emily was upset? She didn't sleep well at all that night and Jethro not being in the bed only made it worse. She never did understand why that man spent so much time in that horrible basement.

The next day, Jethro was already at work when Kate got up and the more she thought about it the more it nagged her that Emily had reacted the way that she did. It was just completely out of character for her lifelong best friend but she would have to put that on the back burner and figure it out later because today they had work and she couldn't be distracted there.

"Babe? Why didn't you wake me up? I'd have come into work with you," Kate asked Jethro as she approached his desk.

"Because Kate, you are my employee here, part of my team and not my fiancé. Jenny would have a field day if she knew I was with you like that!" he snapped, making Kate jump back. She turned and noticed that both McGee and Dinozzo were staring at them, pissing her off that he had just made a scene like that.

"Then don't worry Jethro! I won't be home when you get there! I'm taking the rest of the day off and I'm going back to Quantico! I don't need this bullshit from you!" She stalked off without another word, wondering if the bastard would follow her.

He did of course; he had taken the stairs, quick son of a bitch. He was waiting at her truck when she got there. "Kate, I love you damn it! Isn't that enough?"

"Jethro, I'm not going to work with you and be treated like an outsider at work and then come home to be treated like your wife. Either it's all or it's nothing but I'm going to do the back and forth game. I don't think you're worried about Jenny flipping out about you dating an employee… I think you're worried Jenny, your old flame will be pissed that you're dating again."

He huffed in annoyance like he always did instead of talking.

"Jethro, I'll be in Quantico with Emily until you decide what it is that you really want."

"If you leave, don't come back!"

Kate laughed sarcastically, masking her anger. "FINE! Even better, I'll stay with Emily for good!" Kate got in her truck and took off after that, refusing to argue with that annoying man. How could she love him? He was loud, controlling and a pain in the ass. He didn't care about her, not like Emily did.

Then it hit her, she realized what she had said. _I'm in love with her, not him._ She thought to herself. Once she got out of the Navy Yard, she texted Emily.

_ Just had a huge fight with Jethro, one that may be for good. Can I pleaseeee come stay with you?_

Emily had been sitting at her desk, smiling at the welcome distraction but frowned when she realized Kate was hurting because of that man.

_Of course you can sweetie. You know you are always welcome to stay with me. I miss you!_

They had lived together most of their lives and with Kate being gone the apartment seemed empty but she had been dead set on joining the Secret Service and then NCIS so Emily didn't stop her.

Kate was feeling a new sense of courage; she had to be honest with Emily tonight. Could that be why she reacted the way she did? Is it really possible that Emily is in love with me too? Kate shuddered at the thought that she and Emily had been falling in love this whole time.

**Sorry it took me so long to get chapter 3 up but here it is. What do you guys think? Will these two take the risk of hurting their friendship to try a relationship? Only time will tell! The more reviews, the quicker time goes by **


	4. Admitting the truth

**A desperate attempt to finish a story I loved, but its real life outcome just wasn't how I saw it coming…**

When Kate got to Emily's, she was waiting for her by the door. This was going to be a good night for both of the women because it was time they stopped trying to hide their true feelings. Kate walked up into her arms, dropping the bag at the door. "Thank you for taking me in. You may get your wish of me moving back in because he told me if I left that I shouldn't come back and I left so I think I'm out of a place to live."

Emily chuckled at her bad attempt at subtlety. "Well you know you're welcome here anytime Kate, this was once your place too. Your room is still exactly the way it was when you left."

Kate rolled her eyes, "You sound like my mother, leaving my stuff exactly the same way," she giggled and slung her arm around Emily's shoulder as they walked inside. It was long over-due, them hanging out like this. Kate felt bad that she had let a romance get in the way of spending time with her life-long best friend.

"I already ordered pizza, your favorite. Mushrooms and pepperoni and there's coke in the fridge," said Emily. She hadn't forgotten her best friend's comfort food or what Kate liked to do when she was trying to forget about something that hurt her. "So you wanna tell me what happened?"

"Nope," she said quickly. _Well that hasn't changed. _Emily thought to herself with a smile. "I have nothing to say on that subject. He told me not to come back so he's dead to me. I give up."

"Okay then, wanna watch a movie and curl up in my bed till the food gets here?" Emily asked standing behind her at the breakfast bar.

Kate pretended to consider this for a second, putting a dramatic amount of thought into it. "Hmmm…."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Drama queen."

"Always," Kate laughed. "Yes, curling up in your bed and watching a movie sounds lovely." She took Emily's hand and they walked back to the bed. "I wanna watch _End Game_!"

"Again?" Emily sighed. "Fine…. You're the one in need of comfort. We can watch _End Game_ for the twelve thousandth time!"

Kate grinned. "I can't help that I love that movie!"

Emily smiled. "Pick a new favorite!" she teased. Emily laid down and Kate curled up in her arms, just like always, laying her head on her chest and Emily put her arm around her. "It's going to be okay Kate, I'm here sweetie." She smiled as she felt Kate finally relax against her.

It was Kate that looked up and spoke first. "Emily… I have to say something, something that I've waited a long time to say."

Emily nodded. "Okay, what is it Kate?" She saw the serious look in Kate's eyes and it almost made her nervous.

"Em… I love you."

A small smile cracked at the edge of her lips. "Kate, I love you too. You know that."

Kate shook her head. "No no… Em, I'm in love with you."

Emily stopped and looked at her hard for a moment and then she smiled. "I know, and I love you too. I just was never able to put it into words or find a way to tell you that."

"Well you're jealous reaction when I told you about me and Jethro… that said it all!"

Emily laughed as she sat up with Kate and looked at her. "I'm sorry about that. It just really shocked me and it hit me at that moment that I may never be able to tell you how I felt."

"Well… now we've both said how we feel and I don't have a clue where to go from here," said Kate, looking up at Emily. She always depended on Emily for guidance, Emily was the one that was just slightly older but old enough that Kate felt like she was wiser than she ever was. "What do we do?"

Putting her hands on either side of Kate's cheeks, Emily pulled her closer, pressing her lips to Kate's and involuntarily letting out a soft moan. "You shush and kiss me."

Feeling that kiss was all it took for Kate to melt. She grinned and nodded. "That… I can do." She straddled Emily and kissed her deeply. "I could get used to this."

Emily giggled as she pulled Kate back to her. When Kate was nervous, Emily knew she talked a lot about nothing and it was cute but the only way Emily could now see to shut her up was kiss her more. She deepened the kiss, parting Kate's lips with her tongue and slowly exploring her mouth. She once again moaned even though she tried to stop herself. She could tell Kate was getting turned on but she wanted to wait, she wasn't ready for that.

Kate shuddered as she felt Emily kiss her more, when she felt the woman's tongue hit hers she couldn't take it. She was definitely turned on but Kate didn't want Emily to be the rebound after Jethro. She wanted her to be something special. They had been friends for thirty years and she wasn't willing to lose that.


End file.
